Daily News Analysis : 14 July 2024
6 min readSDG Index of NITI AAYOG
NITI AAYOG recently released the fourth evaluation report of India’s progress on 16 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The index was launched by Vice Chairperson of NITI AAYOG Shri Suman Bery. The overall score on the National SDG Index stood at 71 in 2023-24 compared to 66 in 2020-21. Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Himachal Pradesh emerged as top performing states in the overall rankings.
Key Points:
A) Calculates the target score for each state and territory organization across the 16 sustainable development goals. B) If a state or union territory scores 100 points, it has achieved the target.C) The Index not only highlights achievements, but also encourages States and UTs to learn from each other to close outcome-based gaps.
World Population Prospects 2024 released by UN
The World Population Prospects 2024 was recently released by the UN stating how many people are expected to live on earth in the future. The study stated that the World population hit its peak of 10.3 billion in the 1980s and will slowly decline until the end of the century. It is the 28th edition of the official estimates and projections of the Global population that have been published by the UN since 1951.
Key Points:
A) The United Nations has projected that India’s population will peak at 1.7 billion before declining by 12 percent in the early 2060s. B) Despite this decrease, India is expected to maintain its position as the most populous country in the world for the foreseeable future.C) India, which surpassed China as the world’s most populous nation last year, will continue to hold that position through 2100.
AgriSURE fund for Startups
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) launched a 750 crore AgriSURE fund for startups and Rural Enterprises. The project is implemented by NABVENTURES, a branch of NABARD and its major aim is to boost Agricultural industry by helping new businesses and Rural businesses that use technology to solve problems.
Key Points:
A) The fund will focus on innovation in agriculture, enhancing the farm produce value chain, creating rural infrastructure, generating employment, and supporting Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs). B) The fund will also support the provision of IT-based solutions and technology services to farmers. NABVENTURES, a wholly owned subsidiary of NABARD, will act as the fund manager of AgriSURE.C) The fund is designed to operate for 10 years, extendable by two or more years
NASAs CHAPEA project
NASAs first Mars simulation mission of four volunteer crew members living in a Habitat replicating Red Planet emerged on July 6. It was the first of the three planned simulations under the NASAs CHAPEA project. It stands for Crew Health and Performance Exploration analog. The simulations will help understand the challenges Mars poses for Space explorers. The area is called Mars Dune Alpha and it is a 1700 square foot building made with 3D printing at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Key Points:
A) Named “Mars Dune Alpha,” the 1,700-square-foot, airtight structure was created using 3D printing technology at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.B) It consists of four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a work area, a robot station, a play area, a sandbox with various tools, and a vertical farm.C) The background of simulated Martian soil and red rock provides an immersive experience.
Bangladesh joins Colombo Security Conclave
Bangladesh joined Colombo Security Conclave, a regional security grouping as the fifth member state. The announcement was made at the 8th Deputy National Security Adviser (DNSA) level meeting hosted by Mauritius. Seychelles participated as the observer state at the meeting. Its current members are India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Maldives.
Key Points:
A) During virtual meeting, member states reviewed the progress of activities outlined in the CSC’s Roadmap for 2023-2024. B) They also discussed decisions taken at previous high-level meetings, including the 7th DNSA level meeting hosted by the Maldives in July 2023 and the 6th NSA level meeting in Mauritius last December.C) Member states agreed that the 7th NSA level meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave will be held in India later this year.
New Microcontinent discovered between Greenland and Canada
Scientists have recently discovered a 19-24 km thick thinned Microcontinent between Greenland and Canada. The microcontinent has been named the Davis Strait proto-microcontinent since it formed owing to the tectonic evolution of the Strait in the region. It was formed during the Paleogene time, 33 to 61 million years ago.
Key Points:
A) A team of geologists from Sweden’s Uppsala University and the University of Derby in the UK has identified an isolated block of thick continental crust in the Davis Strait.B) The formation of this microcontinent is attributed to the rifting and seafloor spreading that occurred between Greenland and North America. C) This process formed the Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay, linking them through the Davis Strait.
Closest massive Black Hole found in Omega Centauri
The NASAs Hubble Space Telescope recently found evidence of Intermediate mass Black Hole in Omega Centauri. Intermediate mass blackholes are scarce and are considered as rare missing links in black hole evolution. Omega Centauri is located only 18000 light years away from our solar system.
Key Points:
A) Using Hubble Space Telescope images, astrophysicists have discovered a potential medium-sized star in the Centauri cluster that could be 8,200 times the size of the Sun.B) This could be the second-largest black hole in our Galaxy if confirmed. C) The discovery is based on the unusual movement of stars near the cluster’s center, suggesting a massive object’s gravitational pull.
Fisheries Summer Meet 2024
The Fisheries Summer Meet 2024 was organised by the Department of Fisheries at Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The event is aimed at recognizing contributions made by fish farmers, aquapreneurs and fishermen for the development of the Fisheries sector. A total of 314 Fisheries projects covering 19 states and UTs across the country was inaugurated by Union Minister Shri Rajeev Ranjan Singh with an investment outlay of 114 crore.
Key Points:
A) The exhibition stall of ICAR-CIBA displayed the technologies developed by the institute. B) During the exhibition shrimp, and crabs were also displayed to create awareness among the farmers and other stakeholders. C) ICRA-CIBA technologies were showcased through TV displays and pamphlets in multilingual languages.
7th India-Japan Medical Product Regulatory Symposium
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) organised the 7th India-Japan Medical Product Regulatory Symposium at New Delhi. The event was successfully held at FICCI Convention Hall and was conducted in accordance with MoU between India and Japan aimed at fostering collaboration in medical product regulations.
Key Points:
A) The symposium featured insightful presentations by Indian and Japanese Drug Regulatory Authorities, followed by in-depth discussions on emerging topics in Pharma, Medical Devices, and Regenerative Medicines. B) These deliberations were pivotal in updating industry stakeholders on the latest regulatory initiatives in both countries.
2000m World record broken by Australia’s Jessica Hull
Jessica Hull of Australia became the quickest 2000m runner of all time breaking the world record at the Herculis EBS Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco. She completed the race in 5 minutes 19 seconds breaking the previous record of 5 minutes 21 seconds set by Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi in 2021.
Key Points:
A) The previous world record in a non-Olympic event was 5 minutes 21.56 seconds, set by Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi in September 2021.B) The historical record for the men’s 800 meters was also updated in Monaco. C) Algerian Djamel Sedjati crossed the finish line with a time of 1:41.46 and broke the Diamond League record for the third time for the first time in history.
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